Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani and rookie guard from Indiana Fever Caitlin Clark were named 2024 Associated Press Athletes of the Year.
Ohtani won the award for the third time and Clark is only the fourth women’s basketball player to win (Sheryl Swoopes, Rebecca Lobo and Candace Parker) since the award was first presented in 1931.
Ohtani helped the Dodgers win the World Series and had a breakout season after signing a 10-year, $700 million contract with Los Angeles. He hit .310 with 54 home runs, 130 RBIs, scored 134 runs and stole 59 bases, winning his third Most Valuable Player award and first in the National League.
Only Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods and LeBron James have won AP Male Athlete of the Year more times than Ohtani.
Clark immediately made an impact in the WNBA after leading Iowa to the national championship game and breaking the NCAA Division I career scoring record.
The No. 1 overall pick helped lead the Fever to the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons, setting rookie marks for goals, assists and three-pointers.
She also helped make the WNBA must-see television, with the Fever playing 36 of their 40 regular-season games scheduled for national broadcast. Clark capped her freshman campaign by winning the WNBA Rookie of the Year award and was named to the All-WNBA first team, the first for a rookie since 2008.
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This article was originally published on USA TODAY: Shohei Ohtani and Caitlin Clark win AP Athletes of the Year
